Hickory Hills Picnic with Takoda

Jaren's diaper sliding down his leg!!

Good friends, Takoda & Ollie

Papa & Bear

12 JUNE - Hickory Hills Picnic

My friend, Reggie invited us to join her and some other families to Hickory Hills for a hike and a picnic. I opted out of the hike since my feet and back were not feeling up to par. We packed a lunch and headed up there for a day of fun. The weather was gorgeous and the kids loved being outside with their friends. We ate, the kids played, then we saw the animals that they had up there. There were North American Bison, turkeys, pheasants, some other birds and elk. Unfortunately my camera battery died, so I didn't get as many pictures of the kiddos with the animals. The elk came up and let the kids feed them some leaves and shrubbery they found along the fenceline. Their antlers were very soft and fuzzy and felt like velvet. We'll definitely have to go there again with Daddy sometime!!! :O)

Hook, Line and Soggy Bottoms

Back in the beginning of April, my brother invited us, especially Oliver, to go trout fishing with him near West Union. We packed a sack lunch and started on our journey. First, we stopped at Hank's for some bait. As Bry went in, I saw a vending machine with LIVE bait in it! That was certainly a first! By the way I just loved the large hook hanging from the sign.

After an hour or so we finally arrived and saw that the first road was gated closed. We drove up the hill and stopped when we hit another gate that prevented us from going any further. Bry said that we'll just have to hike the bluff which was called the "Backbone Trail". So we loaded up our food and fishing gear and headed down the path. On the way down Ollie found a feather, we saw some different birdhouses and we even saw a garter snake that Bry tried to pick up! It was a gorgeous day, but oddly enough there was still some snow on the ground!

Eden found some deer prints in the mud.

I have to admit that some places were a bit scary! At first we had lots of leeway on both sides, but there came a point where there were dropoffs off of each side of us and little to climb across, I'd say it was about a foot and a half wide. Yeah... I was thinking, "I'm going to plunge to my death right about now!". Mom was getting dizzy at times so I let her go ahead of me so I could help her across the tricky parts. The kids did just fine with the help of Uncle Bryan!

Here is a peek at how high up we were!

Bry and Ollie

Ollie fishing.

Oliver did a pretty good job at casting, but one time it flew back and missed my face by a couple feet! We ate and then the boys fished for a bit. I got my camera and took a walk a little further up the creek. Everyone soon followed and I got some fun shots!

Eden and Grandma being silly!

Me standing by a HUGE rock embedded in the side of the bluff.

Oliver and Bry traveled further up the way and Bry found a fallen tree that he thought would make a nice perch to fish from. I was taking pictures a few feet away, but one moment I saw him standing on the tree and the next moment I heard a huge splash! He must have lost his balance and down he came! His wallet, his phone and himself were all equally soaking wet!

Bry tromping out of the water to dry land!

Needless to say we were done for the day and never caught a single fish! I guess you could say that my brother was the biggest "catch" of the day!